Skies range from clear to cloudy as of 2pm in Chicagoland. The last vestiges of last night's sprinkle maker have left just enough moisture to produce a patch of cloud cover covering about 1/4 of the area at any given time. Highs have rebounded back into familiar territory, crossing the 80-degree mark for the 47 time in the past 48 days. We'll have no problem extending that streak for the next 7 days, as near-90-degree readings return over the next few days. This afternoon, a cold front stretches across the Upper Midwest and will spark strong to severe thunderstorms in Minnesota. That front is southbound, and its proximity to the Cheddar Curtain may lead to storms late tomorrow in the far northern suburbs. At this time, I expect the vast majority of the activity to remain in Wisconsin, however. Friday brings a greater chance of storms, especially at night. A Pacific cold front will move into the region triggering a few showers and storms. The air behind that front will not be much cooler, so weekend temperatures will remain well into the 80s. There are some signs of a brief intrusion of bona fide "cool" air for the end of next week. Nationally, I'll be showing some amazing dust storm video from Arizona and we'll talk about the deluge that has hit parts of the lower Mississippi Valley due to the remnants of a weak tropical depression.
Mike
